Soft Fur Under Gentle Feathers
by CelticPhoenixProductions
Summary: A tweet, a squeak, a gentle hum, to the babbling brook the two do come, to drink to health and be merry for the smiles that their lives will carry. (Sequel to "The Cardinal and the Hare" and "Hop Until You Fly", Midquel to "Subversion"). [Cover Image: "Cardin Winchester" by makeupaname on DeviantArt]


_For all "Suggested Listenings", I suggest utilizing The Infinite Looper. Just Google "InfiniteLooper", take the music's video URL, copy, and paste! It's easy and will improve your experience!_

O-o-O

Soft Fur Under Gentle Feathers

 _A tweet, a squeak, a gentle hum, to the babbling brook the two do come, to drink to health and be merry for the smiles that their lives will carry._

O-o-O

- _CRDL Dorm Room-_

"I-is… Is this on right?"

"Well if you stop fiddling with it I can check."

"Gah… What was I thinking…?"

"Well, you can afford it, can't you?"

"That's not the point… For a first date?"

"Look, this school's crawlin' with other preps, like that Schnee girl… Hell, I guarantee Adel is dressin' miss droopy-ears to impress tonight."

"But… I mean… Bow-tie dinner? Not…"

"Cardin; chill."

Cardin sucked in a sharp breath, threading his fingers through his hair. A quick slap from Sky made the arm drop, the action matched with an irritated eye roll from the blunette. The leader grunted in dissatisfaction, lavender eyes scanning the room for something to keep him occupied as Sky finished his once-over.

 _Dating sucks_.

The thought elicited a number of memories of his life before Beacon, when he'd been one of the top men on campus back at his old combat school. Girls fawning over him as one of the best fighters, one of the most attractive guys… empty memories of flings and nights out that were forbidden by his family but actually expected under the veneer of 'becoming a man'. Most of those memories used to be proud achievements to him, but now their conclusions left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He had to grit his teeth, an unintended sneer.

"Hokay, looks like everything's in order… Sheesh man, does it really kill you that bad to be patient?" Sky asked, pausing to look at his leader's face.

Cardin relaxed his jaw, letting out another sigh. He didn't need to think about those things right now. This was a good day.

 _She said 'yes', she said 'yes'…_ He'd developed the little mantra since his success a week ago. Every time he did he had to make a conscious effort to wipe the smile from his face. Though, now, it brought with it a double dose of anxiety to match the trill of excitement that lanced down his spine. Rocking on his heels, he looked himself in the mirror.

A nice black suit, polished dress shoes, a well-fitted bow-tie wrapped around his neck; the ensemble looked good, if not a touch awkward on his built frame. He gave an invigorating huff and nodded.

"It looks good, Sky. Thanks."

"It better look good; my sis would kill me if it didn't," Sky said, giving a mock scowl. "Having a fashion designer in the family is a pain…"

Cardin gave another apprehensive sigh, wetting his lips listlessly. The blunette rolled his eyes and slapped the leader's shoulder, "C'mon tough guy, keep sighing like that and you'll make me think you caught cancer or somethin'."

Cardin shook his head and turned towards the door, pulling up his watch; fifteen minutes before six.

"Reservations are for seven. If we want to make into town by then I should pick her up now," he explained, heading towards the door.

"It's like a half-hour trip; you really expecting traffic?" Sky asked, moving away from the mirror.

"Uh… well… I mean, Russel's going to be back by six… and it _is_ a fifteen minute walk from the skyport…" Cardin responded, foot absently trailing towards the door.

"Ah, right… he still doin' that thing where he makes bad jokes trying to cover up how uncomfortable he is with you crushin' on Velvet?"

It occurred to Cardin that Sky shouldn't have to ask that question, being as the four members of CRDL shared the same dorm. However, the past week had been rather hectic with class scheduling, so Sky and Russel probably hadn't had much time to interact.

"Yup," Cardin answered, leaving that one syllable to hang in the air.

"Gotchya," Sky nodded, combing a finger through his hair. "Don't worry, Dove and I'll take him out to a bar tonight, get him loaded a bit and make sure he's fast asleep by the time you get back… No questions asked, right?"

The leader couldn't help but letting a genuine, appreciative smile shine through. A turbulence had bounced up between himself and his partner over the former's taste in women, but likewise a more mutual respect seemed to pop up with Sky to offset the bumpy road.

"You're alright, Lark," Cardin snickered, hand pawing at the door.

"Knock'er dead, Winchester!" the blunette cheered.

And with that, Cardin slipped out of the room.

O-o-O

Asking out Velvet had been one of the most stressful things the boy had chosen to do. Though more liberal ideas were beginning to seep back into the populace, in general biracial couples had been frowned upon (even outlawed from time to time) in the years after the faunus war. Though people were free to choose how they lived their lives these days, that didn't mean there wasn't considerable social pressure bearing down on him since he'd finally decided to ask her out.

His relationship with Russel was steadily becoming more strained, and a talk with his brother earlier in the week had let slip he was going on a date in the upcoming days. Though he evaded the follow-up questions of who and when, it served to waked Cardin up to another major hurdle he'd have to vault; his family. His entire life he'd been raised as the son of 'legendary' huntsmen and war heroes, figures who'd never had a keen eye towards the faunus. That was among the multitude of reasons he'd been rather… well… racist before Beacon.

The admission to himself was still somewhat stalling. Being a racist was always one of those things _other_ people were, not yourself… But being able to step back and just think about it, to _know_ that you were capable of something like that…

It made him sick to think about it, even more so because he was about to go on a date with someone he'd victimized.

 _Just stop thinking about that, Cardin. Focus. Velvet will want you to-_

Well, he stopped thinking; that was what he wanted, wasn't it?

The reason his brain had suddenly locked up stood thirty feet away, next to the courtyard's fountain, draped in a midnight blue silk dress. It was a simple thing, surprisingly few frills for what he'd expected to have been Coco Adel's handiwork. The design seemed to have an oriental twinge to it, leaving the girl's arms sleeveless but her neck wrapped snuggly in a high, buttoned collar. A warm shawl rested across her shoulders. It was an odd, but simple and rather adorable ensemble, and Velvet seemed to wear it more comfortably than he'd expected.

The girl's ear perked as his footsteps got closer, chocolate eyes lifting and meeting his own. A warm, carefree smile broke out across her face and whatever his earlier worries had been dissipated into smoke. It only took him a moment to realize that a small, matching blue flower had been barretted into her hair, next to her left ear. An odd choice, but one that only made her face look all the sweeter.

"You're early," she greeted with a smile.

"Says the girl who was already at the fountain," he shot back teasingly.

The girl chuckled and bent her spine gently, cracking her knuckles behind her back to complete the stretch. She rolled her shoulders forward and shrank into herself, her ears drooping. "Well, I mean… I had a hot date… who wouldn't be eager for that, huh?" she responded, cheeks heating up.

Cardin felt the familiar red dusting settle into his own cheeks, provoking him to scratch behind his head, embarrassed, "I… Well… I mean… I'm nothin' special. You on the other hand… I mean, look at you… I-I don't even have any words…" The words were stumbling and messy and he cursed his suddenly absent ability to flirt.

A the shy smile on Velvet's face creeped ever bigger, her face just a little warmer, at the compliment.

"I don't know… the bowtie really works," she said, sliding up to him and playfully gliding her fingers over the black material. The both hesitated for a split second, realizing the relatively intimate action. She drew her hand back and looked to the side, "Sorry… that was a little more… familiar than I meant to be…"

Cardin reached out and caught one of Velvet's hands before it could fully drop, "I… don't mind…" He forced his words to be soft, doing everything he could not to choke on what he wanted to say. "C'mon, if we're quick, we can catch an earlier flight into town," he grinned, keeping hold of her hand.

Velvet's ears perked, full-blown smile radiant as ever. She nodded, leaning back to the fountain to retrieve a small purse she'd set down. Throwing the strap over her shoulder she looked to Cardin.

Hands entwined, the two set off for the airship port.

O-o-O

- _VAF Halcyon, enroute to Vale_ -  
- _Suggested Listening: "Something, Everything is Wrong", Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion OST_ -

The trip into the city was surprisingly relaxing; Cardin had figured that his nervousness going into the date would stay with him throughout the ordeal. And while there were remnants of that electric buzz in his abdomen, it was surprisingly muted by an excitement that was slowly feeding through his veins. The view helped, of course.

Vale's skyline was alight with pinks and oranges from the setting sun, fluffed clouds fading into the horizon of the distant sea, coupled with the reflective glint of downtown's skyscrapers made for a dazzling sight. The airship drifted lazily into the coming night, taking it's sparse pocket of occupants into the bustling town. Soon the horizon gave way to steel and concrete, obscuring structures growing ever larger as the transport neared its station.

"The town looks beautiful tonight, don't you think?" Velvet asked, stepping up next to the mesmerized Cardin.

The boy turned to look at his date, _his date_ , and quickly found the simple act of her breathing just as mesmerizing.

"Would it be cliché to say you looked better?" he asked back.

Velvet's cheeks turned red, but for once she didn't shy away. Instead she cocked her head to the side and smiled, ears bouncing softly against the window, "yes, it would, but I won't pass up such a nice compliment."

She unarched her neck but kept her eyes fixated on him, and likewise he kept his eyes on her. The two stayed that way until the airship finally docked, the cabin jostling as the clamps secured around the vehicle.

Doing everything he could to keep what suave energies he had going for him, Cardin stuck out his elbow, offering it to Velvet. "Shall we depart, m'lady?" he asked, nodding to her with the most gentlemanly gaze he could muster.

His heart skipped as she looped her arm into his, keeping her pleasant smile the whole way through, "why yes, I do believe we should, good sir." The girl gave a feigned curtsy, one that made Carding swallow. Hard.

"Then away we go," he concluded, guiding her towards the exit to the airship. The two followed the other passengers to the off ramp, and like their ride before them, drifted lazily into Vale's beautiful nightlife.

O-o-O

- _Il Boschetto_ , _Downtown Vale_ -

Il Boschetto was a small, well regarded restaurant nestled away near the heart of Vale's bustling city. The Winchesters, being of noble heritage, weren't unfamiliar with the quality of service provided by similar venues, though it was definitely Cardin's first time to Boschetto in particular. It so happened that it was within comfortable walking distance of the airport and it had rather quiet seating arrangements for secluded encounters, making it ideal for a date that would be considered taboo by about half the population of the planet. There was, of course, a fleeting concern that someone in the place would recognize him and either confront him about the person on his arm or slink around his back to gossip to his family. He waved that concern aside, though; he'd burn that bridge when he came to it.

However, it _did_ come as a surprise that when it came time to order, the demur rabbit girl in front of him asked for one of the largest steaks on the menu.

As the waiter collected their menus and departed, notepad in hand, all Cardin could do was stare, confused and mouth agape at his date. Velvet raised her brow in response.

"Did you think I was going to come to a place like this and waste it on a salad or something?" she asked, wry smile creeping across her lips.

"I-I just… I mean…" Cardin sputtered, "Y-you've got such a… thin frame… I didn't take you for a steak person…"

Velvet covered her mouth to let out a flighty chuckle, "Yes, well, you'd think I wouldn't be, but that retrieval mission took a lot outta me… I thought, since you're paying, I'd treat myself."

"Well, my wallet thanks your honesty," Cardin replied, rolling his eyes.

Velvet shook her head, still smiling, though it quickly declined into a more somber grin, "I mean, I _do_ prefer veggies, but they're not everything… And… I mean… this is the nicest place anyone's ever taken me… So… y'know… I thought I'd make the most of it…" Velvet explained, trying her hardest to shrink under the lip of the table, ears drooping, face red.

"Well, you deserve it," Cardin shrugged. His wry smile softened, "someone as elegant as you deserves to eat at a fitting establishment."

Velvet's smile only grew more embarrassed, her entire upper body flushed pink, "You're terrible, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, I mean, that's just how I roll," he snickered, leaning back in his chair.

A quiet befell them, the very last of the sun's rays refracting onto them through the restaurant's scenic windows.

"So…" Velvet started, uncurling in her chair, "Why…" The girl paused, momentarily biting her lip, "Why did you ask me out?"

The question caught the leader off guard, prompting him to respond with a confused, "Uh… what do you mean 'why'?"

Velvet fidgeted in her seat, glancing out the window, "Well… I mean… you and I didn't exactly start out so well. We've… we've never really addressed it…"

Cardin sucked in a breath and failed to stop himself running his fingers through his hair.

 _There goes the slicked hair…_

"I… you're not wrong…" he sighed. "I-I mean, I'm sorry about all that… but I can't take back what I did…" Cardin let his tongue roll around between his teeth, eager to find words. "This… I mean… I like you… I _like_ you… But… I guess… Part of this is me trying to say… 'I'm Sorry'… for everything… For…"

A soft hand wrapped around his, "It's fine, Cardin…" The two met eyes, "I… I don't blame you… You've changed, and I get the feeling this is more like who you really are… you're still you, just… kinder."

It was at this point the waiter returned, hands carrying two plates which were quickly set before the pair. The two parted hands and the waiter bid them a good meal before departing once more. The Conversation left an awkward air hanging around them before Velvet picked up her fork and poked at the steak.

"So… I guess what I'm saying is… if you're doubling up on this date to say that you're sorry…" she cut into the steak and swiped the small cube through a thick sauce, "I'll use this date to say 'I forgive you'."

The girl then proceeded to bite down on the morsel, leaving Cardin sitting there with a conflicted grin on his face. Deciding that it was at least a _nice_ place to leave the conversation, he decided to dig into his own meal and let the issue rest.

 _Might as well enjoy the food I'm paying for…_

O-o-O

- _Vale City Streets_ -

Their evening meal wrapped up quite nicely, coupled with rather pleasant, lighthearted conversation. The two walked down the boulevard, arm in arm, content to stay in each other's presence, neither quite wanting to leave the date yet.

It was a bizarre feeling, one that was tacked on top of a myriad of other unsettling thoughts that'd taken root in his heart the last few months. His previous dates, past flings, had felt notably different. Not a single one of those relationships had been real. He'd known that, of course, he'd _always_ known that, but only recently did he realize how painful that fact had been.

It felt like he'd been abandoned in the desert for a very long time, so long he'd confused sand for water, and now a kind passerby was handing him their canteen. A very kind person with two fluffy stalks bouncing from her head.

"So," Cardin started, trying to continue the night's jovial mood, "how often do you get asked out like this?"

Velvet smirked and leaned into his arm, bopping his shoulder with her head, "Don't think you're the first person to take me on a date… I might be… shy, but that doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of suitors…"

"Oh really? Does that mean I don't have a shot? Am I going to have some long-lost lover come to kick my ass?" he chuckled. Velvet allowed a snicker as well, shaking her head.

"No, I don't think so. I'm usually pretty picky with who I let take me out," she explained. She put a finger to Cardin's chest and flicked his bowtie, "you, mister, just _barely_ made the cut."

"So that means there _are_ other people out there that you think are better than me," he teased back, giving her arm a playful shake.

"Well, let's see…" she giggled. "First is this girl I dated freshman year of combat school…"

"Girl?" Cardin asked, confused. The rabbit faunus shook her head at him.

"Well, it was a test, and I realized I didn't like it… I prefer carrots, if you get what I mean…" Velvet giggled.

Cardin's face immediately went flush.

Velvet's giggle twisted into a laugh, "And people usually call me the prude!"

Cardin turned away, hiding his burning cheeks, "so, a girl from your old school. Who else?"

"Wasn't just her from that school, there was also two different boys. Nice guys, but they didn't exactly have that rough edge that hunters needed. Neither ended up going to hunter academies. Not that it mattered, since we broke off our relationships during my tenure at the school," she explained, tightening her hold on his arm.

"Then, well… there was Yatsu, my freshman year of Beacon…" Velvet continued, her voice trailing off. "We… agreed that we didn't quite work out over the first summer break, kinda created an awkward air in the team. That's why I ate lunch in the freshman period…"

"I see…" Cardin noted, briefly remembering the time he'd spent tormenting her. The pasta in his stomach didn't seem to sit well with that.

"But… I mean, I'm always trying to stay in good spirits… And things are working out pretty nicely now!" Velvet chirped, smile returning full force. "Yatsu and I cleared things up before the end of our second year, we're all about to graduate after this year, and… I… got to meet the real you."

She trailed off again, though it had a certain affectionate edge to it that made Cardin shiver.

 _Or it could be the cold… It's gotten late…_

A quick glance at one of the holographic streetlamps told him the time; 9:34pm.

"It's gotten late," he voiced, "I should probably get you back to the dorm before Adel hunts me down and mounts my head on her wall."

Velvet slapped his shoulder, "Please, she acts tough… and she _can_ back it up, but she doesn't really mean it. She's just very defensive of her friends…"

Once more the girl trailed off, though this time it seemed to be due to a distraction. Her steps slowed and Cardin was forced to halt or otherwise drag his date with him.

"No way…"

Cardin turned to look at what had grabbed her attention only for her to drag _him_ to a nearby wall.

"They're going to be in town?! This is _awesome_!"

A poster depicting a bull faunus kitted out in clown makeup listing lazily on the floor was plastered to the wall, with the name _Cirque du Sable_ printed below him in big, curly letters. Velvet hopped up and down in front of the poster, clapping her hands.

"My dad and I loved going to see this when I was a kid, must've gone like three times and each time it was amazing!" she explained giddily.

She glanced back at Cardin to find a perplexed look plastered to his face. Looking between him and the poster, she sprouted a sinister smile. Pouting her lips, she turned towards him, pawing her hands in front of her and giving her best I'm-being-dejected look.

"You'll take me, won't you? Pwease?" she pleaded.

Cardin stared at her, dumbstruck.

 _Did she just ask me out on another date?_

 _I think she just did, dude._

 _…How much do circuses cost…? My poor wallet…_

Cardin sighed, shaking his head in amusement, "You know, I always wanted a rabbit as a pet, but my dad always told me they were high-maintenance… I think I'm starting to see that now…"

Velvet puffed up her in defiance, "Well, I mean, you don't _have_ to, meanie…"

Cardin chuckled and wrapped an arm around Velvet's waist, startling her, "I'd be happy to take you."

Velvet looked up at him and smiled, snuggling into his arms.

"But, I can only do it if I _haven't_ been torn apart by Coco, so I suggest we get you back to the dorms by a descent time, eh?"

The girl under arm chuckled and wrapped a matching arm under his shoulders, holding him close. They remained that way all the way back to Beacon.

O-o-O

- _Beacon Academy_ -

The trip home was as easy as the first, yet it seemed more solemn. Maybe it was the sign of a good night coming to a close, a small handful of hours spent with someone that could make them seem like minutes or years.

The pair walked close to each other, though their physical contact lessened the closer they got to the CFVY dorm room. Eventually, they came to a stop at the door, quiet falling just behind their footsteps.

Velvet was the first to speak.

"I had a wonderful time tonight…" she sighed, teeth glistening in the hall lights.

"Me too…" Cardin murmured, "And… I'll look into that circus, if you're still interested in going with me…"

Velvet nodded, ears swaying in the wind. Cardin's eyes followed the lopping lobes, transfixed by just how soft the fur looked. An impulse came over him. His mouth parted, a dry, nervous rasp echoing down his throat.

"Uh… can… Can I…?" he asked, hands feebly gesturing towards her ears.

Velvet looked at his hands, eyes growing pensive. But then she breathed and nodded with a soft smile.

Very carefully Cardin reached out, fingers cupped in order to stroke the rabbit ears. As he neared them, however, Velvet flinched, a reflexive action that caught both of them by surprise. Cardin's hand recoiled, concerned that he'd hurt her, only for her to lash out with her own arm and catch his retreating hand.

He gave her a quizzical stare, which was met by her setting his hand around one of her ears. Her body stiffened at the contact, but determination stung in her gaze.

"If… If we're going to do this…" she swallowed, closing her eyes, "we're going to need to get past everything from before…" Her eyes opened, chocolate pools diving into lavender. "Both of us," she emphasized, squeezing his thumb.

The fur under hand was coarser than he'd imagined, than he'd remembered, but still soft at the core. Very gently Cardin gave the ear a stroke, and Velvet shivered beneath him. Deciding that a touch was enough for now, he pulled back, smiling at her.

"Thank you…" he said, folding his hand to hold hers instead.

Velvet looked off to the side, her face beet red. The girl looked at him, unsure at first at what she was doing. Then, in a brief lunge she layered her lips over his, delivering a brief, appreciative peck. Cardin blinked as Velvet leaned back and gave him her cheeriest smile.

"Message me on my scroll about Cirque du Sable, I'll let you know when I'm free," she grinned. He smiled and nodded as the girl opened the door to her dorm, "And Cardin? Have a good night."

"Have a good night Vel," Cardin parroted softly.

She giggled and closed the door, leaving a happy and content Cardin in the middle of the hall, face flushed and spirits high.

A fresh spring in his step, the team leader sauntered down the hall, looking forward to a very peaceful slumber.

O-o-O

 _Author's Note:_

 _Well… I've certainly been inactive for quite some time now. I apologize about that to my bigger fans. I still love you guys, but life's been kinda crazy post graduation and all that. For example, you may have noticed a significant change in my profile name. I changed it to be more in line with the online presence I've begun to build. Celtic Phoenix Productions is what my name is on YouTube, and Sound Cloud, and ._

 _Oh, did I mention I've got a now? The link is on my profile, just above Commissions. New chapters and such will be available a week early on there for subscribers!_

 _Oh, did I mention Commissions? Because I have those now. The rules are right there on my profile and any questions I'd be happy to take in PM form. They'll open as soon as I post this chapter! So please, request a story! :D_

 _I should mention that this is the first story I wrote purely for you guys. This was not a chapter in the Cardin/Velvet series I was planning on writing, but I decided to bring it to life by popular demand. I'm happy with how it turns out, but I kinda wanna shy away from pure fluff in the future. I've got a real serious edge to me right now, so I'm hankering to write an action series, and an original one at that!_

 _Over the Seas, meanwhile, is still around, we're chugging forward after a series of bad runs hit our development. We're eager to have the first trailer done soon, as well as the first episode (our development schedule is a bit odd). So, I'll let you guys know when that gets off the rails._

 _I've also started up on my new YouTube account a wholly original audiodrama, starting with the prologue which is up now; WHITEBOOK. It will be succeeded by BLACK BOOK, a full-length series that's a hybrid mystery/horror story. Auditions are open currently; anyone interested, the link will be on my profile, under my YouTube Link! :D_

 _So, with all of these developments, long-time fans may be worried about Subversion, and while I've honestly been pretty burned out on writing the series, I do intend to come back to it. Should I not, I have other plans that would see most of the ideas I had in Subversion come to fruition. Even if I end up abandoning the story, the characters, themes, plots and other such things will not be neglected, I assure you of that. It was always a practice piece for myself to begin with, and what I've gotten out of it so far is REALLY good._

 _Author Fun Fact: "Something, Everything is Wrong" is one of my favorite musical pieces, and along with "Noi!" and "Absolute Configuration" make buying the OST to Rebellion an absolute must. Fantastic, unique, and gorgeously dreamlike music people… Oh, I also use it and the opening song "Once We Were" to fall asleep when I've got insomnia._

 _Anyway, that's all I have time for now. I worked on this endlessly over the weekened, so I hope you all enjoyed it. This is the official capstone to the Velvet/Cardin fic trilogy I've developed, so don't expect to see_ too _much more of them. If you do, it will most likely be in Subversion sometime down the line._

 _Have a good night/day everybody! Catchya on the flipside!_

 _Chapter Stats:_

 _Page Length: 12_

 _Word Count: 4,217_


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